Anatole “Tony” Lapine, Former Head Of Porsche Styling, Passes At 81

Celebrated stylist of the Porsche 928, who also had significant input into the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray, has passed away at age 81. Under the direction of Mr. Lapine, Porsche’s studios produced the 928, 924 and 944 — front-engine coupes that eschewed the 911’s silhouette for a rear-biased profile.

He is also credited with the so-called G-series 911, the first to use an integrated, impact-absorbing plastic bumper. Mr. Lapine, born in Riga, Latvia, worked for Daimler and General Motors before moving to Porsche. It was the second significant loss for Porsche’s design department in the last month. Ferdinand A. Porsche, credited with the design of the 911, died April 5 at age 76.